Kollywood
Karuppu 9 AM Shows Cancelled Amidst Mass Confusion—But Can These Massive Advance Booking Numbers Still Save the Day?
BY CHRISTA LINCY
If you have been following the buzz around Suriya's latest outing, Karuppu, you probably noticed some mixed signals hitting your feed this morning. While the anticipation for this RJ Balaji directorial has been sky-high, the release day has started with a bit of a hurdle. Producer S.R. Prabhu recently took to social media to announce that the 9 AM shows for the film have been cancelled due to unavoidable reasons. This news has come as a surprise to many fans who were ready to catch the early screenings of this Dream Warrior Pictures production. The situation seems a bit complex as we look closer at the reactions from the ground. Director RJ Balaji also shared a heartfelt note, acknowledging that the film has faced several hurdles over its 32-month journey. He mentioned that while there isn't a concrete answer for the current delay yet, the production team is working hard to resolve the issues. It is also important to remember that early morning shows have been a point of contention in the state for a few years now, following safety concerns and government regulations. Despite these early morning hiccups, the box office outlook for Karuppu remains very positive. When we look at the advance booking data, the numbers tell a story of immense fan interest. The film has managed to rake in a gross of 6.31 crore through advance bookings alone, excluding block seats. If we factor in those block seats, the total jumps to an impressive 11.33 crore. This puts the movie in a very strong position to secure a double-digit opening day, which is a significant milestone for any major release. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) A closer look at the statistics shows that the Tamil 2D version is the primary driver of this growth, contributing over 3.83 crore to the total. With over 4,300 shows scheduled for the Tamil 2D format and an average ticket price of 168 rupees, the volume of sales is quite high. The Telugu version is also contributing its share with a gross of 1.85 crore from over 800 shows. In total, nearly 3.9 lakh tickets were sold before the first reel even started spinning, showing that the audience was more than ready for Suriya's return to the big screen. The cancellation of the early morning slots might lead to a slight dip in the potential day one total, but the sheer momentum from the advance bookings should provide a solid cushion. Historically, films with such strong pre-sales tend to recover quickly once the regular shows begin. The trend we are seeing here is logical; the high demand is evident, and the audience is simply waiting for the gates to open. Compared to other big-ticket releases this year, Karuppu is currently tracking among the top performers in terms of pre-release interest. Dearest fans, I dont have a concrete answer to the current situation. Producers are doing their best to solve the hurdles. This film has always had hurdles, and somehow God has made us sail through all that and here we are after 32 months. This time as well, I have faith,…— RJ Balaji (@RJ_Balaji) May 13, 2026 As we move into the afternoon and evening, the focus will shift to how quickly the theaters can resume their scheduled programming. If the technical or administrative hurdles are cleared soon, the strong occupancy seen in the advance reports suggests that the evening shows will be packed. For now, it is a waiting game for the fans, but the financial data suggests that Karuppu is still on track to be a major player at the box office this weekend.
